There are lots of things that I don't like about working for The Lutherans*. Don't get me wrong - that's where my heritage is. I have more relatives serving the Lutheran church than anything else. You can throw my mom's maiden name around in Lutheran circles and everyone instantly respects you. I just disagree with some of their theology and a lot of the ways they go about doing what they do. My job is just a job. I do it well. I try to have a good attitude. But I really do get frustrated with it, too. The few who are privy to my true feelings on spiritual matters can tell instantly if I am about to blow up and say something stupid at work. They stand back a little bit and give me warning glances and help me to remember my place. I love them - or her. Really there's just the one.
Anyway.
Where was I?
Oh yes. There are lots of things I don't like about being smack-dab in the middle of an organization that I don't support. But there is one thing. One blessed, wonderful, good Saving Grace. Come this time of year, they all celebrate The Reformation by having Octoberfests (and, you know, special church services too...). And you know what's great about that? Sometimes, there are sausages & sauerkraut left over that church secretaries can have for lunch.
Let no one say I'm not connected to my German heritage. Hear that, Mom?
Yum.
Now I just need a beer...
Daily Bliss: some really nice new yarn & a tiny project that's already done
Wake-up Playlist: No You Girls, Franz Ferdinand
*Just to be clear, I don't mean to be inflammatory and I don't want to even try to have a deep discussion about spirituality - mine or anyone else's - online. Plus, I know for a fact that most Lutherans are quite capable of poking fun at themselves.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Seriously?
So, I saw that neurosurgeon today - you know, just to get a second opinion about the herniated disc thing. He did all sorts of interesting tests on me. Emma was in the room and she winced a couple of times, but I reassured her that getting your reflexes tested doesn't hurt.
I had really expected to go in there and kind of have a "it's-no-big-deal" kind of appointment. A "yup, you have a little bulge in that disc" kind of appointment.
Instead, he discovered a pretty significant difference in muscle strength between my right/dominant side and my left side. And it isn't the normal kind of difference. My dominant side is actually quite a bit weaker.
So, guess what? Remember how I got to have an MRI? I get to have another one! Yay!
(I hope you are sharp enough to catch the sarcasm)
Wake-up Playlist: How to Save a Life, The Fray
Daily Bliss: a gorgeous, cotton-candy, cloudy sunrise
I had really expected to go in there and kind of have a "it's-no-big-deal" kind of appointment. A "yup, you have a little bulge in that disc" kind of appointment.
Instead, he discovered a pretty significant difference in muscle strength between my right/dominant side and my left side. And it isn't the normal kind of difference. My dominant side is actually quite a bit weaker.
So, guess what? Remember how I got to have an MRI? I get to have another one! Yay!
(I hope you are sharp enough to catch the sarcasm)
Wake-up Playlist: How to Save a Life, The Fray
Daily Bliss: a gorgeous, cotton-candy, cloudy sunrise
Monday, October 26, 2009
Re-Re-Shoot
Went out for another re-take with Emma at the lake, hoping to get a good-quality picture. Even though my teacher liked the images I turned in, I'd like for them to have been a little clearer at full size.
So, in case you want to see more silly pictures that I took, here are the best of this batch:
I don't think I framed these shots quite as nicely as the first ones, but they're in much better focus, and the color is pretty nice. I'm so not going to take any more of these. I'm done with the concept! Also, I'll probably Photoshop out the green traffic lights that are in the upper right hand corner. Blergh. There was nothing that could be done about those.
So, in case you want to see more silly pictures that I took, here are the best of this batch:
I don't think I framed these shots quite as nicely as the first ones, but they're in much better focus, and the color is pretty nice. I'm so not going to take any more of these. I'm done with the concept! Also, I'll probably Photoshop out the green traffic lights that are in the upper right hand corner. Blergh. There was nothing that could be done about those.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Yum-O-Rama
So, I had this really great sandwich on Friday from my favorite little lunch spot in the town where I work. And then the sandwich was gone and I still wanted more, so I decided to try my hand at making it for dinner tonight. It was so tasty, I thought I'd share:
Sweet Potato Sandwich:
Ciabatta Bread
Cooked, sliced sweet potato
Sliced tomato
Thinly-sliced red/purple onion
Spinach leaves
Feta Cheese
Red wine vinegar
I'm not going to include quantities here - you can figure that out. It's a sandwich. You just put however much of it you want on the bread.
But I would recommend you make sure the sweet potatoes are warm and the bread is toasted. That way, the feta melts a little bit. Oh - and the vinegar is to sprinkle on the bread before you close up the top of the sandwich.
I'd like to point out that we used sweet potatoes that we grew in our back yard! Note to my readers that live in the south: There is absolutely no reason you shouldn't be growing sweet potatoes. Seriously. They took little to no care and, bam!, sandwich fixin's right there in the dirt. I won't bother to link to articles here, you can just Google "how to grow sweet potatoes" and find plenty of good information. The only things I'd suggest (that we learned this year) are to start your slips with an organic sweet potato and to plant your slips in mounds of dirt rather than level with the ground. We really had to dig for ours. I know there are more taters in the ground in my back yard, but I really don't want to keep looking for them!
Sweet Potato Sandwich:
Ciabatta Bread
Cooked, sliced sweet potato
Sliced tomato
Thinly-sliced red/purple onion
Spinach leaves
Feta Cheese
Red wine vinegar
I'm not going to include quantities here - you can figure that out. It's a sandwich. You just put however much of it you want on the bread.
But I would recommend you make sure the sweet potatoes are warm and the bread is toasted. That way, the feta melts a little bit. Oh - and the vinegar is to sprinkle on the bread before you close up the top of the sandwich.
I'd like to point out that we used sweet potatoes that we grew in our back yard! Note to my readers that live in the south: There is absolutely no reason you shouldn't be growing sweet potatoes. Seriously. They took little to no care and, bam!, sandwich fixin's right there in the dirt. I won't bother to link to articles here, you can just Google "how to grow sweet potatoes" and find plenty of good information. The only things I'd suggest (that we learned this year) are to start your slips with an organic sweet potato and to plant your slips in mounds of dirt rather than level with the ground. We really had to dig for ours. I know there are more taters in the ground in my back yard, but I really don't want to keep looking for them!
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Mostly Lovely Random Things
1) I was really nervous about my pictures for my photography class last Thursday. I had re-shot those pictures of Emma and had not necessarily gotten better results, so I turned in a couple of the old ones (that I already posted here). I had really expected some criticism because the image was not in sharp focus or maybe my white balance wasn't right or something. I was unsatisfied with the photos, and I was self-conscious & worried that they wouldn't be good enough. But my professor actually liked them a lot - along with several other people in the class. That really boosted my confidence! He said I should shoot some more of the same set-up and I think I will. Maybe tomorrow. Also, there's going to be a student art show and I can submit up to three pieces for consideration. I've never, never, never done anything like that. Self-confidence issues, I guess. But I think I'm going to do it this time. I have a few ideas about what to submit, but I need to think on it a while. I'm really stoked.
2) It's been a busier week than I had expected. We're all pretty tired, but we're dog-sitting for my out-of-town parents, which means chilling out in the leather sectional and watching lots of cable TV. Aside from the sleep loss that comes with watching Food Network into the wee hours of the morning, it feels pretty nice to crash. Crashing comes with the catching-up consequences later, but it's worth it for now.
3) Physical therapy progress on the stupid neck and back injuries is one step forward, two steps back. I didn't think those typical "injury-isms" would apply to me, but they do. I'm not in debilitating pain at this time, but some of my injuries are permanent. Some days, I feel pretty good. Some days, I don't feel pretty good. Oh well. Within a couple of weeks, though, my appointments should start to dwindle and I am so looking forward to returning to my regularly scheduled, uh, schedule.
4) We took Emma shopping, today, so she could spend her birthday money. The first thing we headed for was the shoe department. Retail therapy. Nice.
5) We were at our house this evening to visit the birds and pick up fresh clothes to bring to my parents' house (see #1), and I decided to play a little bit of piano. Now, my fancy books - the Chopin, the Bach, the Debussy - were all at my mom's house. So, I played whatever I could find. I started to think that I might need to pick a Christmas song for my little pre-school choir to sing (it's just two girls, but they're so cute). As I played, I sang a little, and before I knew it, both of my kids were at my side, singing along with me. It was such a special little moment of time. That kind of thing can never be my idea - if Mom suggests it, it's lame. But it's so cool when it just happens. I love that music is so pervasive in my family. I love it that it's not a question of whether you'll play an instrument, it's just a question of which instrument you'll play. And I really, really love the moments when music becomes something a little bit more tangible that we all can enjoy together.
2) It's been a busier week than I had expected. We're all pretty tired, but we're dog-sitting for my out-of-town parents, which means chilling out in the leather sectional and watching lots of cable TV. Aside from the sleep loss that comes with watching Food Network into the wee hours of the morning, it feels pretty nice to crash. Crashing comes with the catching-up consequences later, but it's worth it for now.
3) Physical therapy progress on the stupid neck and back injuries is one step forward, two steps back. I didn't think those typical "injury-isms" would apply to me, but they do. I'm not in debilitating pain at this time, but some of my injuries are permanent. Some days, I feel pretty good. Some days, I don't feel pretty good. Oh well. Within a couple of weeks, though, my appointments should start to dwindle and I am so looking forward to returning to my regularly scheduled, uh, schedule.
4) We took Emma shopping, today, so she could spend her birthday money. The first thing we headed for was the shoe department. Retail therapy. Nice.
5) We were at our house this evening to visit the birds and pick up fresh clothes to bring to my parents' house (see #1), and I decided to play a little bit of piano. Now, my fancy books - the Chopin, the Bach, the Debussy - were all at my mom's house. So, I played whatever I could find. I started to think that I might need to pick a Christmas song for my little pre-school choir to sing (it's just two girls, but they're so cute). As I played, I sang a little, and before I knew it, both of my kids were at my side, singing along with me. It was such a special little moment of time. That kind of thing can never be my idea - if Mom suggests it, it's lame. But it's so cool when it just happens. I love that music is so pervasive in my family. I love it that it's not a question of whether you'll play an instrument, it's just a question of which instrument you'll play. And I really, really love the moments when music becomes something a little bit more tangible that we all can enjoy together.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Treading Water
Hello. Don't mind me. I'm just hanging out here, surviving and not making any progress whatsoever. On anything.
I kept trying to think of something that was interesting enough to turn into one of my long, exaggerated stories, but the best thing that happened to me in the past few days was flying over some bumpy railroad tracks and getting all jumpy in my tummy. I mean, it was fun, but I knew things were boring when I considered making a blog story out of that.
Things are happening - we are busy as bumbly bees in the spring. It's just that there's nothing, well, interesting.
As I think of it, though, there may well be interesting things going on and I am too tired to notice. I did crash pretty early last night, but I had to wake up early today, so it wasn't like I gained anything there.
The pictures I tried to re-shoot were kind of "blah," too. Funny how it works that way.
I couldn't even figure out what the song was that I woke up singing today. Two words and a rock-n'-roll scream were all I had to go on and I couldn't come up with what in the world it was!
So, I'll get back with you when things get interesting. Or when I'm less tired. Or when...
You know, it'll probably be, like, tomorrow or something.
Daily Bliss: a big, fat chocolate bar that I'm feeling a little guilty about scarfing down and the beautiful fall-ish breeze that's been loitering in my neighborhood these past few days
I kept trying to think of something that was interesting enough to turn into one of my long, exaggerated stories, but the best thing that happened to me in the past few days was flying over some bumpy railroad tracks and getting all jumpy in my tummy. I mean, it was fun, but I knew things were boring when I considered making a blog story out of that.
Things are happening - we are busy as bumbly bees in the spring. It's just that there's nothing, well, interesting.
As I think of it, though, there may well be interesting things going on and I am too tired to notice. I did crash pretty early last night, but I had to wake up early today, so it wasn't like I gained anything there.
The pictures I tried to re-shoot were kind of "blah," too. Funny how it works that way.
I couldn't even figure out what the song was that I woke up singing today. Two words and a rock-n'-roll scream were all I had to go on and I couldn't come up with what in the world it was!
So, I'll get back with you when things get interesting. Or when I'm less tired. Or when...
You know, it'll probably be, like, tomorrow or something.
Daily Bliss: a big, fat chocolate bar that I'm feeling a little guilty about scarfing down and the beautiful fall-ish breeze that's been loitering in my neighborhood these past few days
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Almost Got It
So, attempt #3 on the night pictures broght me a little luck. I don't think I have what I want to turn in just yet, but it's better.
I took Emma down to the lake in her velvet cloak with a suitcase and she loved being a model for me.
I think I got the time of day right, the aperture and shutter speed right, but I didn't have the focus right. I thought I was in auto focus mode, but I guess I really wasn't. Again, there's the trouble with taking a more advanced and unfamiliar camera out in the dark. I'll probably try again because, toward the end of my time outside, I figured out the problem and got the focus down just right. Only problem is, the sky was too dark by then.
So, take a look at these just for fun, so you can see some of my mistakes and enjoy the success if I happen to nail this shoot in the next couple of days. At any rate, you can look at these and at least get a good idea of what's in my head for these pictures. I want these, in focus, with the beautiful sky that's in the first two shots - which is only available for about five minutes before it gets too dark.
Mindy, I promise you can have your camera back tomorrow...just, can I please, please, please use it between the hours of 7:00 and 8:00 until my next class? It's really fun.
I took Emma down to the lake in her velvet cloak with a suitcase and she loved being a model for me.
I think I got the time of day right, the aperture and shutter speed right, but I didn't have the focus right. I thought I was in auto focus mode, but I guess I really wasn't. Again, there's the trouble with taking a more advanced and unfamiliar camera out in the dark. I'll probably try again because, toward the end of my time outside, I figured out the problem and got the focus down just right. Only problem is, the sky was too dark by then.
So, take a look at these just for fun, so you can see some of my mistakes and enjoy the success if I happen to nail this shoot in the next couple of days. At any rate, you can look at these and at least get a good idea of what's in my head for these pictures. I want these, in focus, with the beautiful sky that's in the first two shots - which is only available for about five minutes before it gets too dark.
Mindy, I promise you can have your camera back tomorrow...just, can I please, please, please use it between the hours of 7:00 and 8:00 until my next class? It's really fun.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Vroom
We spent our day downtown at one of the lakes - Lake Mirror. There's an annual car show that goes on there called the Lake Mirror Classic and Andrew's Technology Student Association does an fundraiser there every year, selling hot dogs, hamburgers, drinks and stuff. We had so much fun last year, and we really enjoyed our time there this year. The weather today was unbelievable! After record-setting heat for weeks on end (I think something like 7 record highs were broken out in the first two weeks of October!), we have near-record lows tonight and tomorrow. It was cloudy and cold, followed by sunny, breezy and just-warm-enough.
I wandered around the car show with my camera and my dad (and my mom too, but she had far less trivia to share) and had loads of fun taking loads of pictures. I haven't gone through all of them and I'll wait to post them until I can identify all the cars in the shots. That means Dad will have to help me out.
Here's part of one of my favorite vehicles as a preview:
My photography assignment this week is night photography and I'm not doing so well so far. My camera doesn't have as much manual control as a DSLR, so I borrowed Mindy's Big Girl Camera.
There's just a short window of time each night when you can capture what my professor is looking for and I'm starting to get nervous. Last night, I took my camera out and only came up with this one:
And tonight, I took out Mindy's and, um, learned a lot. Here's hoping the third time's the charm!
I wandered around the car show with my camera and my dad (and my mom too, but she had far less trivia to share) and had loads of fun taking loads of pictures. I haven't gone through all of them and I'll wait to post them until I can identify all the cars in the shots. That means Dad will have to help me out.
Here's part of one of my favorite vehicles as a preview:
My photography assignment this week is night photography and I'm not doing so well so far. My camera doesn't have as much manual control as a DSLR, so I borrowed Mindy's Big Girl Camera.
There's just a short window of time each night when you can capture what my professor is looking for and I'm starting to get nervous. Last night, I took my camera out and only came up with this one:
And tonight, I took out Mindy's and, um, learned a lot. Here's hoping the third time's the charm!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Sponsors
I'd like to take a minute to offer profuse thanks to a few people who have been indispensable to my survival over the last month or so. I mean it. I might have keeled over if it hadn't been for these kind souls.
So.
This episode in Christy's Life was brought to you today by:
Katelyn
My friend from work came to help me out with my end of things for Mindy's baby shower. She cut out all. those. triangles. for the buntings. She helped me make a bazillion cupcakes. She was a trooper and stayed up way late with me. Without her, I would not have slept at all (see Christmas Eve 2008) and probably would not have finished my tasks either.
Sarah
My sister-in-law, who not only marvelously co-hosted the aforementioned baby shower, but hosted a fab pizza party for Emma on her birthday. I was teaching piano lessons until 7 PM on Emma's birthday and there was absolutely no way I would have been able to do something that special. As a matter of fact, the only thing I had to do on Emma's birthday was bring a cake. I bring cakes all the time, right? That should be simple. But things were so bad that I actually, well...let's just say there was dry, crumbly vegan chocolate cake in all corners of my kitchen exactly ten minutes before I had to leave to teach piano. So, thank you Sarah.
My Mom
'Cause, you know, she's my mom. Two words from her can make me cry - in a good way. You know, when you really need to cry and you're just holding it in? And then your mom just says something simple and you lose it? Yeah. That happened a few times. She watched my kids a lot when Chris was out of town. She fed us surprise dinner once or twice. And she accomplished sundry tasks and favors of a similar nature.
Denise
Denise has been my friend since we were 6 & 8 years old. I was the one that was 6. She watches my kids every summer and always shows up a little early to the party, just in case help is needed. In this case, she showed up the night before Emma's party. Actually, she called me moments after the Birthday Cake Incident and said it had been on her mind to offer some help for Emma's party. That timing was Divine, I tell you. I am not one that readily accepts help, but I knew at that moment that I needed it. And help she did. She was my adorable-party-favor-maker and she was my cupcake-froster-and-decorator. She hung the "Happy Birthday Emma!" banner because she's rather tall (Emma calls her "majestic"). And I'm rather not. She stayed until she was bleary-eyed and I feared she wouldn't drive safely. And then she came back the next morning for more!
Mindy
Because she gave me the most adorable little nephew to squeeze on and to give me happy thoughts that helped me make it through this incredibly tough month.
Lots of other people helped me, too. Picking up a kid from school here, listening to me complain there - you know, good friend stuff.
But I must, must, must mention the biggest Sponsor of all -
My Honey.
As far as husbanding goes, he really has his work cut out for him. I am lots of work. I wrecked his car (not my fault, but still) and I got myself hurt and he had to pull extra duty during a season when he was already pulling more than his fair share of our family burden due to me traipsing around and taking photography classes, teaching piano lessons and generally finding myself. He has made dinners and supervised lots of homework. He has sat through ballet every dang Thursday. He has listened to me weep at 3:00 in the morning, exhausted and trying to finish a present for someone - and that has happened more than once in the last month. He has been patient in a way I've never seen him be. He has been attentive in ways I don't deserve. He has been steadier and stronger than I could dare to ask. In short, I don't know what I'd do without that man.
Lots of times, people ask me how I do everything I do. People sometimes think I'm some sort of super-woman. Well, I'm not. I'm surrounded by people who pick up the slack and who clean up the messes I make and who inexplicably love me anyway. So it all gets done, but it isn't always me doing it.
Now you know.
So.
This episode in Christy's Life was brought to you today by:
Katelyn
My friend from work came to help me out with my end of things for Mindy's baby shower. She cut out all. those. triangles. for the buntings. She helped me make a bazillion cupcakes. She was a trooper and stayed up way late with me. Without her, I would not have slept at all (see Christmas Eve 2008) and probably would not have finished my tasks either.
Sarah
My sister-in-law, who not only marvelously co-hosted the aforementioned baby shower, but hosted a fab pizza party for Emma on her birthday. I was teaching piano lessons until 7 PM on Emma's birthday and there was absolutely no way I would have been able to do something that special. As a matter of fact, the only thing I had to do on Emma's birthday was bring a cake. I bring cakes all the time, right? That should be simple. But things were so bad that I actually, well...let's just say there was dry, crumbly vegan chocolate cake in all corners of my kitchen exactly ten minutes before I had to leave to teach piano. So, thank you Sarah.
My Mom
'Cause, you know, she's my mom. Two words from her can make me cry - in a good way. You know, when you really need to cry and you're just holding it in? And then your mom just says something simple and you lose it? Yeah. That happened a few times. She watched my kids a lot when Chris was out of town. She fed us surprise dinner once or twice. And she accomplished sundry tasks and favors of a similar nature.
Denise
Denise has been my friend since we were 6 & 8 years old. I was the one that was 6. She watches my kids every summer and always shows up a little early to the party, just in case help is needed. In this case, she showed up the night before Emma's party. Actually, she called me moments after the Birthday Cake Incident and said it had been on her mind to offer some help for Emma's party. That timing was Divine, I tell you. I am not one that readily accepts help, but I knew at that moment that I needed it. And help she did. She was my adorable-party-favor-maker and she was my cupcake-froster-and-decorator. She hung the "Happy Birthday Emma!" banner because she's rather tall (Emma calls her "majestic"). And I'm rather not. She stayed until she was bleary-eyed and I feared she wouldn't drive safely. And then she came back the next morning for more!
Mindy
Because she gave me the most adorable little nephew to squeeze on and to give me happy thoughts that helped me make it through this incredibly tough month.
Lots of other people helped me, too. Picking up a kid from school here, listening to me complain there - you know, good friend stuff.
But I must, must, must mention the biggest Sponsor of all -
My Honey.
As far as husbanding goes, he really has his work cut out for him. I am lots of work. I wrecked his car (not my fault, but still) and I got myself hurt and he had to pull extra duty during a season when he was already pulling more than his fair share of our family burden due to me traipsing around and taking photography classes, teaching piano lessons and generally finding myself. He has made dinners and supervised lots of homework. He has sat through ballet every dang Thursday. He has listened to me weep at 3:00 in the morning, exhausted and trying to finish a present for someone - and that has happened more than once in the last month. He has been patient in a way I've never seen him be. He has been attentive in ways I don't deserve. He has been steadier and stronger than I could dare to ask. In short, I don't know what I'd do without that man.
Lots of times, people ask me how I do everything I do. People sometimes think I'm some sort of super-woman. Well, I'm not. I'm surrounded by people who pick up the slack and who clean up the messes I make and who inexplicably love me anyway. So it all gets done, but it isn't always me doing it.
Now you know.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Giant Birthday Week Post
OK. Emma's birthday party is now done and I have no more parties to throw for quite a while. I am so over parties right now.
That said, she had a pretty spectacular birthday this year. The day of her actual birthday was a school day, so I made two dozen cupcakes (vegan, of course, because she seems to be sensitive to eggs too). There was an Icing Incident at midnight the night before. I don't really want to talk about it. Through a series of complicated maneuvers, though, cupcakes were brought to school. Emma was celebrated.
We usually try to have a special family dinner on our kids' actual birthdays, especially when their party falls on a day other than their birthday. My sister-in-law, Sarah, offered to host a make-your-own pizza party for Emma, which was a real time-saver for me to say the least. She had sweet flowers and balloons and great pizza toppings all set out and I didn't have to do anything. Sweet!
I was supposed to bring Emma's birthday cake to that party, but there was a Cake Incident about an hour before the party. I bought a cake instead. Nobody seemed to mind, but I did think I overheard my mom asking why we didn't have the bakery write her name on the cake. Come to think of it, maybe people noticed or minded that I didn't bring a homemade cake but decided not to say anything about it, which was very gracious. Either it was gracious, or I looked like I might go over the edge if approached in the wrong way (i.e., without a peace offering of chocolate in hand). I've been, um, a little off kilter.
So what? You wanna make something of it?
I didn't think so.
Ahem.
She got a the bike she wanted and the vintage poison ring she wanted and the video games she wanted. She was a very happy camper. She even got a cake-decorating kit. When she opened it and saw the box, she said, "Oh, look! It's Chef Duff!" My kid spends way more time with the Food Network than with the Disney Channel.
The rest of the week passed in birthday present bliss and I found out I had a herniated disc. Which kinda bummed me out and made it really hard to push through the rest of this week. Something about knowing it's actually there - that I have actual injuries - made them all hurt more. It's harder to ignore something if you happen to know it's a fact, you know? But push through I did, with the help of friends. In fact, I would not have survived this last month had it not been for the help of several people. I will thank them all, with more detailed information, very publicly and very soon.
I stayed up way too late finishing Emma's birthday present from me. It's a satin-lined, velvet hooded cloak. There was a Hem Incident and also a Neck Seam Incident. Through a series of complicated ninja-sewing moves, I wound up with a giftable cape, but I will have to fix a couple of things on it later. Pictures forthcoming. I promise. She put it on instantly and pretended she was a vampire. I kid you not. She really loved it and wanted to wear it in the car to her party.
Oh yes - her party.
It was awesome.
There were pink-sugar-rimmed shot glasses (for lemonade) and miniature bubble-gum flavored cupcakes (my first experience with flavor oils - that's totally going to happen again! oh, the possibilities!) that were made without Incident.
And my friend Denise, though she helped with other stuff too, really came through for me on the treat bags. We were taking Emma and her friends to "Candy College" at a candy store, so Denise put together mini dorm crates with cute school supples. I designed little college pendants and it all came together so nicely:
The candy shop we went to is in Hyde Park Village (in Tampa, happily located around the corner from Anthropologie) - it's called City Street Sweets. It was a really affordable, but really special destination party. I was so pleased.
I made all the girls chef hats as party favors and the people at the store loved it. The girls all got their own treat bag to take around the store.
As the owner took them to each section, he talked about the history of each candy and the ingredients that make it special.
Most importantly, he gave them all samples for their bags. There were jelly beans, taffies, lollipops and even fudge - Birthday Cake fudge! Then the girls all got to make a chocolate-dipped marshmallow pop and decorate it themselves.
Uh, yum?
The final step before you graduate from Candy College, though, is learning the Oompa Loompa dance. I laughed so hard watching the girls!
Everyone went their separate ways and we stayed in Tampa for lunch and a haircut for me. Mysteriously, this party happened to be booked on the very same weekend I needed to get a haircut. I have no idea how that happened.
But I feel much nicer after my haircut. My hair guy just got back from New York where he enjoyed a class at Bumble and Bumble. It was kinda nice to feel like I was getting the very latest in hair fashion. It's a little shorter this time and has more of a "mod" feel - a 60s vibe. He said that Mod is all over the place in New York right now. I wouldn't know. I lost all my cool points before the age of five, so I have no idea what's all over the place in New York.
I'd show you a picture, except that I slept on it and it's wonky. Plus, I didn't fix it. Plus, I'm still in my pajamas at four o'clock in the afternoon. My hubby, who I will also thank publicly very soon, has put me on mandatory rest today. I barely even brushed my own teeth.
Yes, I feel like crap. My neck hurts and my stupid back keeps having spasms. That even makes one of my legs hurt. But somehow, I can't sit still unless somebody orders me to do so in a kind of mean voice. But he knows that, so he did that. And I, who rarely ever obey, decided to be a good girl and obey.
That said, she had a pretty spectacular birthday this year. The day of her actual birthday was a school day, so I made two dozen cupcakes (vegan, of course, because she seems to be sensitive to eggs too). There was an Icing Incident at midnight the night before. I don't really want to talk about it. Through a series of complicated maneuvers, though, cupcakes were brought to school. Emma was celebrated.
We usually try to have a special family dinner on our kids' actual birthdays, especially when their party falls on a day other than their birthday. My sister-in-law, Sarah, offered to host a make-your-own pizza party for Emma, which was a real time-saver for me to say the least. She had sweet flowers and balloons and great pizza toppings all set out and I didn't have to do anything. Sweet!
I was supposed to bring Emma's birthday cake to that party, but there was a Cake Incident about an hour before the party. I bought a cake instead. Nobody seemed to mind, but I did think I overheard my mom asking why we didn't have the bakery write her name on the cake. Come to think of it, maybe people noticed or minded that I didn't bring a homemade cake but decided not to say anything about it, which was very gracious. Either it was gracious, or I looked like I might go over the edge if approached in the wrong way (i.e., without a peace offering of chocolate in hand). I've been, um, a little off kilter.
So what? You wanna make something of it?
I didn't think so.
Ahem.
She got a the bike she wanted and the vintage poison ring she wanted and the video games she wanted. She was a very happy camper. She even got a cake-decorating kit. When she opened it and saw the box, she said, "Oh, look! It's Chef Duff!" My kid spends way more time with the Food Network than with the Disney Channel.
The rest of the week passed in birthday present bliss and I found out I had a herniated disc. Which kinda bummed me out and made it really hard to push through the rest of this week. Something about knowing it's actually there - that I have actual injuries - made them all hurt more. It's harder to ignore something if you happen to know it's a fact, you know? But push through I did, with the help of friends. In fact, I would not have survived this last month had it not been for the help of several people. I will thank them all, with more detailed information, very publicly and very soon.
I stayed up way too late finishing Emma's birthday present from me. It's a satin-lined, velvet hooded cloak. There was a Hem Incident and also a Neck Seam Incident. Through a series of complicated ninja-sewing moves, I wound up with a giftable cape, but I will have to fix a couple of things on it later. Pictures forthcoming. I promise. She put it on instantly and pretended she was a vampire. I kid you not. She really loved it and wanted to wear it in the car to her party.
Oh yes - her party.
It was awesome.
There were pink-sugar-rimmed shot glasses (for lemonade) and miniature bubble-gum flavored cupcakes (my first experience with flavor oils - that's totally going to happen again! oh, the possibilities!) that were made without Incident.
And my friend Denise, though she helped with other stuff too, really came through for me on the treat bags. We were taking Emma and her friends to "Candy College" at a candy store, so Denise put together mini dorm crates with cute school supples. I designed little college pendants and it all came together so nicely:
The candy shop we went to is in Hyde Park Village (in Tampa, happily located around the corner from Anthropologie) - it's called City Street Sweets. It was a really affordable, but really special destination party. I was so pleased.
I made all the girls chef hats as party favors and the people at the store loved it. The girls all got their own treat bag to take around the store.
As the owner took them to each section, he talked about the history of each candy and the ingredients that make it special.
Most importantly, he gave them all samples for their bags. There were jelly beans, taffies, lollipops and even fudge - Birthday Cake fudge! Then the girls all got to make a chocolate-dipped marshmallow pop and decorate it themselves.
Uh, yum?
The final step before you graduate from Candy College, though, is learning the Oompa Loompa dance. I laughed so hard watching the girls!
Everyone went their separate ways and we stayed in Tampa for lunch and a haircut for me. Mysteriously, this party happened to be booked on the very same weekend I needed to get a haircut. I have no idea how that happened.
But I feel much nicer after my haircut. My hair guy just got back from New York where he enjoyed a class at Bumble and Bumble. It was kinda nice to feel like I was getting the very latest in hair fashion. It's a little shorter this time and has more of a "mod" feel - a 60s vibe. He said that Mod is all over the place in New York right now. I wouldn't know. I lost all my cool points before the age of five, so I have no idea what's all over the place in New York.
I'd show you a picture, except that I slept on it and it's wonky. Plus, I didn't fix it. Plus, I'm still in my pajamas at four o'clock in the afternoon. My hubby, who I will also thank publicly very soon, has put me on mandatory rest today. I barely even brushed my own teeth.
Yes, I feel like crap. My neck hurts and my stupid back keeps having spasms. That even makes one of my legs hurt. But somehow, I can't sit still unless somebody orders me to do so in a kind of mean voice. But he knows that, so he did that. And I, who rarely ever obey, decided to be a good girl and obey.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Hot Dangit
That's what my Grandpa Trinklein used to say when he got really mad - "hot dangit!"
And I'm really mad.
I have more problems in my back than I thought and I have to see a neurosurgeon now, which also means I'm going to have to get a lawyer. I haven't said much about it, I guess, but the guy who hit me wasn't exactly, legally, supposed to be driving that car. I mean, I guess I hoped that things would be minor enough to not warrant too much drama.
I hate drama.
I don't have time for drama.
Inexplicably, drama finds me anyway. Every time.
I'd hoped this drama wouldn't warrant lawyers and paperwork and expenditure of precious time. So, hot dangit, I'm mad. I don't have time for this crap and I just want to magic it all away, but that isn't working. I've been trying.
Just thought you'd like to know.
<3 Me
Wake-up Playlist: Claude Debussy, Reverie
Daily Bliss: Big, giant pretzels with lots of salt
And I'm really mad.
I have more problems in my back than I thought and I have to see a neurosurgeon now, which also means I'm going to have to get a lawyer. I haven't said much about it, I guess, but the guy who hit me wasn't exactly, legally, supposed to be driving that car. I mean, I guess I hoped that things would be minor enough to not warrant too much drama.
I hate drama.
I don't have time for drama.
Inexplicably, drama finds me anyway. Every time.
I'd hoped this drama wouldn't warrant lawyers and paperwork and expenditure of precious time. So, hot dangit, I'm mad. I don't have time for this crap and I just want to magic it all away, but that isn't working. I've been trying.
Just thought you'd like to know.
<3 Me
Wake-up Playlist: Claude Debussy, Reverie
Daily Bliss: Big, giant pretzels with lots of salt
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Photography Class Assignment...
OK. Here's the ad I made with the robot and sweaters and stuff. It's a fake company, but I kinda like it anyway.
Hope you like it too!
My professor asked me where I learned to do this. I told him it's just already in my head.
I'm being admonished to get to bed. That dang car accident stuff is really starting to hurt, so I need to take care of myself. Some. After I sew.
Whatever.
Wake-up Playlist: A Dream is a Wish Your Heart MakesDaily Bliss: party store shopping with Emma
Hope you like it too!
My professor asked me where I learned to do this. I told him it's just already in my head.
I'm being admonished to get to bed. That dang car accident stuff is really starting to hurt, so I need to take care of myself. Some. After I sew.
Whatever.
Wake-up Playlist: A Dream is a Wish Your Heart MakesDaily Bliss: party store shopping with Emma
Monday, October 5, 2009
M-R-I-Don't Like It
I had my first MRI today. I didn't like it at all. It was one of those "open scan" ones, but, ha! Whatever. I was still stuck on a big table with another big table hovering three inches above my nose, stretching around and beyond my entire body.
On the plus side, the sides were open so I was allowed to move my hands and arms (since they were only imaging my lumbar spine). On the negative side, I was forced to endure 30 minutes of James Taylor's greatest hits while immobilized. Read: no escape.
Now, I like dudes with guitars as much as the next guy or gal, but I like 'em better with beards. I don't know what it is about that - if you're a dude with a guitar and you don't have a beard and you write songs that are supposed to make people cry and turn their lives in a better direction? Well, yuck.
That is my (completely subjective) opinion.
Anyway, I experienced lots of panic. Not because I'm claustrophobic or anything. It's because of all the paperwork and warnings I had to read first. What if my tatoos had been done with ink containing traces of metals? They might start to burn uncomfortably and I wouldn't be able to move! What if a surgeon left a staple in me when they pulled Emma out of my belly? What then, I ask? Would it puncture my intestines on the way out? I forgot to take off my wedding ring. Would that matter at all? What if I swallowed a tiny piece of tin foil with supper? Would it sear the lining of my stomach as it tried to escape, pulled by the forces of the giant magnets?
That's the kind of panic I'm talking about.
My body stayed tense for 30 minutes. I could barely breathe and my chest kinda hurt. I suppose that was the anxiety. It would appear that, no matter how good I am at talking my brain out of being nervous or anxious or just plain not cool in a situation, my body will rebel and do whatever it wants to do.
So, I hated it.
But I had to get over it. Tonight, I am making two dozen cupcakes, eight chef hats and one birthday cake, and that's just the start.
The cupcakes go to Emma's class tomorrow, on her actual birthday.
The birthday cake - chocolate with white frosting - goes to Aunt Sarah and Uncle Jon's house for a birthday pizza party tomorrow night, along with one of the presents I am making for her.
The chef hats are for Saturday. They are party favors. Did I tell you yet that she chose Candy College at a chocolate shop in Hyde Park Village (Tampa's chic-est shopping district) as her birthday party? She and six other girls will be making the trek to learn about the chocolate-making process, and when they "graduate," they get to make their own treat. So, I am making them all chef hats. Because I have a make-something-for-everyone-all-the-time disease.
But the chef hats must be done tonight or tomorrow because I am making one more giant, cool birthday present. But I can't tell because Emma knows where to find my blog. So you'll just have to wait until Saturday, just like her.
But wish me luck. It's a little more advanced than anything I've tried before, and I'm a little worred about the investment I made in materials.
Sigh.
Wake-up Playlist: John Mayer, Gravity
Daily Bliss: chowing down on a vegan cupcake while I blog
On the plus side, the sides were open so I was allowed to move my hands and arms (since they were only imaging my lumbar spine). On the negative side, I was forced to endure 30 minutes of James Taylor's greatest hits while immobilized. Read: no escape.
Now, I like dudes with guitars as much as the next guy or gal, but I like 'em better with beards. I don't know what it is about that - if you're a dude with a guitar and you don't have a beard and you write songs that are supposed to make people cry and turn their lives in a better direction? Well, yuck.
That is my (completely subjective) opinion.
Anyway, I experienced lots of panic. Not because I'm claustrophobic or anything. It's because of all the paperwork and warnings I had to read first. What if my tatoos had been done with ink containing traces of metals? They might start to burn uncomfortably and I wouldn't be able to move! What if a surgeon left a staple in me when they pulled Emma out of my belly? What then, I ask? Would it puncture my intestines on the way out? I forgot to take off my wedding ring. Would that matter at all? What if I swallowed a tiny piece of tin foil with supper? Would it sear the lining of my stomach as it tried to escape, pulled by the forces of the giant magnets?
That's the kind of panic I'm talking about.
My body stayed tense for 30 minutes. I could barely breathe and my chest kinda hurt. I suppose that was the anxiety. It would appear that, no matter how good I am at talking my brain out of being nervous or anxious or just plain not cool in a situation, my body will rebel and do whatever it wants to do.
So, I hated it.
But I had to get over it. Tonight, I am making two dozen cupcakes, eight chef hats and one birthday cake, and that's just the start.
The cupcakes go to Emma's class tomorrow, on her actual birthday.
The birthday cake - chocolate with white frosting - goes to Aunt Sarah and Uncle Jon's house for a birthday pizza party tomorrow night, along with one of the presents I am making for her.
The chef hats are for Saturday. They are party favors. Did I tell you yet that she chose Candy College at a chocolate shop in Hyde Park Village (Tampa's chic-est shopping district) as her birthday party? She and six other girls will be making the trek to learn about the chocolate-making process, and when they "graduate," they get to make their own treat. So, I am making them all chef hats. Because I have a make-something-for-everyone-all-the-time disease.
But the chef hats must be done tonight or tomorrow because I am making one more giant, cool birthday present. But I can't tell because Emma knows where to find my blog. So you'll just have to wait until Saturday, just like her.
But wish me luck. It's a little more advanced than anything I've tried before, and I'm a little worred about the investment I made in materials.
Sigh.
Wake-up Playlist: John Mayer, Gravity
Daily Bliss: chowing down on a vegan cupcake while I blog
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Life As I Know It
We have been doing a lot of stuff, if you hadn't noticed. Things are busy in good ways and in not-good ways too. But that's how it goes, yeah?
We spent yesterday evening downtown at an event Lakeland calls First Fridays. On the first Friday of every month, the stores in our historic downtown area stay open late, the streets are blocked off, and people flock to the area to shop and eat and just hang out.
Normally, I don't go to these things. I really don't like crowds.
I mean it.
But Andrew's school jazz band was playing and his TSA team was demonstrating their stuff AND his Lego Mindstorms team was represented too. So, he was pulling triple duty. But he had such fun. I was really pleased to see the concert - they did so well and he was so proud. He showed me the robot he's working on for the Mindstorms competition thingy (I don't really know what it's all about - I just volunteer and show up with the teachers need me).
And I ran into all kinds of people!
Of course, on a Friday night, after a long week, I was not looking so great. On our way downtown from the music studio, we stopped at home so I could throw on a clean dress and I put my hair in a kerchief. It worked out. I didn't feel cute at first, but lots of people told me I was, so that helped.
I saw an old boyfriend, friends of my brother's, people I went to church with as a kid, people my parents knew when I was a kid, people I hung out with when my kids and their kids were little, and, well, just people from every era and facet of my life in this town. I even saw Jessica and her hubby. That was pretty cool. Lakeland's not a small-small town, but it's small enough that when people come outside and gather in one spot, you are sure to see old friends.
I like that a lot.
I only finished about half of my errands today. I had big plans - Emma's birthday is next week and I've not done a thing yet. I need to pick up paperwork for things and I need to get hair color and I need to do so many other things. But I managed to grocery shop for the first time in weeks (hooray for not stopping at the store on the way home to pick up whatever's for dinner-that-will-surely-cost-us-more-than-it-would-had-I-planned-ahead!).
Yup. There were lots of things I needed to do that I didn't do. But you know what I did that was really cool?
I held my tiny baby nephew for a long time. A really long time. He slept on my chest and I laid on the sofa and just watched him breathe. I watched him roll his eyes in dreamy sleep and I watched his eyebrows hitch up and down at whatever he dreamt. I smelled his sweet baby head and I rubbed his back. Oh - and I kissed him. I kissed him over and over.
There isn't better therapy to be found anywhere on the planet than a sleeeping, happy baby.
Wake-Up Playlist: America, Ventura Highway
Daily Bliss: I'm about to make some caramel sauce to put with some apple slices. I mean, lots of good things have happened today, but I think that's going to be near the top of the list.
We spent yesterday evening downtown at an event Lakeland calls First Fridays. On the first Friday of every month, the stores in our historic downtown area stay open late, the streets are blocked off, and people flock to the area to shop and eat and just hang out.
Normally, I don't go to these things. I really don't like crowds.
I mean it.
But Andrew's school jazz band was playing and his TSA team was demonstrating their stuff AND his Lego Mindstorms team was represented too. So, he was pulling triple duty. But he had such fun. I was really pleased to see the concert - they did so well and he was so proud. He showed me the robot he's working on for the Mindstorms competition thingy (I don't really know what it's all about - I just volunteer and show up with the teachers need me).
And I ran into all kinds of people!
Of course, on a Friday night, after a long week, I was not looking so great. On our way downtown from the music studio, we stopped at home so I could throw on a clean dress and I put my hair in a kerchief. It worked out. I didn't feel cute at first, but lots of people told me I was, so that helped.
I saw an old boyfriend, friends of my brother's, people I went to church with as a kid, people my parents knew when I was a kid, people I hung out with when my kids and their kids were little, and, well, just people from every era and facet of my life in this town. I even saw Jessica and her hubby. That was pretty cool. Lakeland's not a small-small town, but it's small enough that when people come outside and gather in one spot, you are sure to see old friends.
I like that a lot.
I only finished about half of my errands today. I had big plans - Emma's birthday is next week and I've not done a thing yet. I need to pick up paperwork for things and I need to get hair color and I need to do so many other things. But I managed to grocery shop for the first time in weeks (hooray for not stopping at the store on the way home to pick up whatever's for dinner-that-will-surely-cost-us-more-than-it-would-had-I-planned-ahead!).
Yup. There were lots of things I needed to do that I didn't do. But you know what I did that was really cool?
I held my tiny baby nephew for a long time. A really long time. He slept on my chest and I laid on the sofa and just watched him breathe. I watched him roll his eyes in dreamy sleep and I watched his eyebrows hitch up and down at whatever he dreamt. I smelled his sweet baby head and I rubbed his back. Oh - and I kissed him. I kissed him over and over.
There isn't better therapy to be found anywhere on the planet than a sleeeping, happy baby.
Wake-Up Playlist: America, Ventura Highway
Daily Bliss: I'm about to make some caramel sauce to put with some apple slices. I mean, lots of good things have happened today, but I think that's going to be near the top of the list.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Knitting Robots and Such
Here are a couple of snapshots from my class tonight. We were asked to bring in a product to photograph, for which we will be creating an advertisement next week. Of course, I couldn't think of any regular old product that I wanted to sell, so I brought in some of my own stuff. Not that I want to sell it. It's just easier to imagine how to sell it if I made it. I also brought in that robot that my brother Jon built.
The thing is, once I had those things in mind, my mind just kept going. I'd started knitting on another baby sweater for somebody tiny that I know. It was green. And I saw a fabric at Hancock's this weekend with green polka dots on it that I couldn't get out of my mind. So, I decided to include the sweater-in-progress and to make a blanket to go with it. Then I remembered this awesome old Hershey's chocolate box my grandma found for me. See? The whole thing just snowballed. That happens to me a lot.
By the time I got to class, I wasn't sure how I was going to fit everything into the light box my professor had brought, but I was pretty sure I would be chided for bringing in so many objects. The only thing I knew was that I wanted that robot to be knitting.
So I waited to take my pictures until I was the last one waiting because I didn't want everyone to be exasperated with how long I was taking to set up my shot. But it worked out pretty well. By the time I set everything up, I couldn't stop laughing because that robot was so dang cute! In fact, it was all so cute that my professor insisted on actually taking the photos. Which was completely fine by me - the real work with this assignment will be done in Photoshop - and it made me feel really good that my idea worked so well.
Obviously, these are not the photos my professor took. I ran around in the background, taking a shot here and there while he changed the lighting around to get everything juuust right. So, sorry. Mine are not so great this time because I didn't take the time to adjust my camera's settings and all. But I do promise you'll see the finished ad sometime late next week.
And I promise you will go to bed tonight, giggling about the knitting robot.
The thing is, once I had those things in mind, my mind just kept going. I'd started knitting on another baby sweater for somebody tiny that I know. It was green. And I saw a fabric at Hancock's this weekend with green polka dots on it that I couldn't get out of my mind. So, I decided to include the sweater-in-progress and to make a blanket to go with it. Then I remembered this awesome old Hershey's chocolate box my grandma found for me. See? The whole thing just snowballed. That happens to me a lot.
By the time I got to class, I wasn't sure how I was going to fit everything into the light box my professor had brought, but I was pretty sure I would be chided for bringing in so many objects. The only thing I knew was that I wanted that robot to be knitting.
So I waited to take my pictures until I was the last one waiting because I didn't want everyone to be exasperated with how long I was taking to set up my shot. But it worked out pretty well. By the time I set everything up, I couldn't stop laughing because that robot was so dang cute! In fact, it was all so cute that my professor insisted on actually taking the photos. Which was completely fine by me - the real work with this assignment will be done in Photoshop - and it made me feel really good that my idea worked so well.
Obviously, these are not the photos my professor took. I ran around in the background, taking a shot here and there while he changed the lighting around to get everything juuust right. So, sorry. Mine are not so great this time because I didn't take the time to adjust my camera's settings and all. But I do promise you'll see the finished ad sometime late next week.
And I promise you will go to bed tonight, giggling about the knitting robot.
A Sneaking Suspicion
You know that feeling we girls all have at one time or another - the one that whispers to our brains, "If it weren't for you, the world might stop turning?"
Sometimes I suspect that if the world did, in fact, stop turning, it might somehow be my fault.
I'm just sayin'.
Sometimes I suspect that if the world did, in fact, stop turning, it might somehow be my fault.
I'm just sayin'.
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